Some questions about America

Lavallee
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Sat Oct 02, 2010 8:18 am

tom18 wrote:
Tammy,
The selection you quoted was the interview I heard on the radio between NPR correspondent Linda Wertheimer and the book's author Sara Bongiorni. I'm also intrigued by the book but I confess I've not yet read it. Lest I be misconstrued, I want to be clear that I support free trade with all of our trading partners--when it is free in both directions.* However I do find it very disappointing that so many American businesses have opted to outsource manufacturing jobs to keep the prices of their products artificially low. I was a researcher at a pharmaceutical company and the early retirement that I received was in part a result of that practice.

Tony,
I love lamb! But then I'm a bit of a Renaissance man. I even like vegetables which among the men in my circle of friends is a minor anomaly too.

Best to all,
Tom

*One more anecdote I heard recently about American manufacturing: If an American power utility were to commission the construction of a nuclear power reactor today, the steel pressure containment vessel would have to be manufactured in an overseas foundry because domestic mills don't have that capability (source/reliability unknown). It's scary to think that in some cases we may no longer be able to build the stuff we invented.
Hi Tom, I work with most of the steel makers and research center in the US and rest assure that you guys can manufacture everything you want, the technology is there. If the requirement is for a cheap and easy to make component, then you yes it has moved to a cheaper manufacturing area, but it is the same for Canada and Europe as well. It is now happening to Japan and Korea were they loose their low and medium tech manufacturing products to China.

What bothers me about the media statements is that most of the time they are half truth and the hidden truth depends on the political agenda.

Regarding the lamb, Canada is also consuming Australian/NZ lambs (spring lambs) even more in the last 5-10 years when the producers started removing the oil gland generating the wool taste in the meat. When well prepared it is as good as a beef fillet, love it.

By the way I just remember I still owe you a CD.

Marc


tom18
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Sat Oct 02, 2010 9:33 am

Marc,
Your comments are reassuring. It would be fairly ridiculous to allow our manufacturing base to completely erode simply because labor is cheaper in places such as Asia. Much of the world's finest tool steel is still manufactured in places like the UK, Germany and the Czech Republic (probably Canada too). They certainly don't have cheap labor in those countries.

I grew up in the years following the Sputnik launch by the USSR. Many kids at that time were encouraged to pursue science and engineering careers. It seems like a disproportionate number of our friend's sons and daughters (we don't have children) want to be lawyers today.
Cheers,
Tom
No worries on that CD.


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